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S. M. YEAMA'N.

Straw Cutter. l

No. 11,918. Patented Nov. 7, 1854.

N. PETERs Phulmliflsognpiwr, Wantnngiun. ac.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S. M. YEAMAN, OF ELIZABETHTOWN, KENTUCKY; OWEN R. THOMAS ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID S. M. YEAMAN, DECEASED.

STRAW-GUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,918, dated November 7, 1854.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, S. M. YEAMAN, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Straw- Cutters; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the anneXed drawings, made part of the same specifications, and in which drawing the operative parts of the machine are fully shown in front view.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangement of mechanical devices below described for the purpose of operating upon the straw by means of a pair of angular knives, through the space between which, when the sliding frames on which the knives are fastened are thrown past each other, the straw is passed against a gage board carried by the sliding frame of the upper knife, the frames being operated by a system of levers and links in front of the frames and arranged so as to aid in pressing the knives against each .other as they reciprocally pass and thus insure a clean even cut and short straw of equal length.

It is unnecessary to describe the ordinary frame and feeding trough of a straw-cutting machine. lWly invention is applied to the two front uprights and is clearly shown in the drawings by the positions of the sliding frames knives (a) and (b) and the gage board (e) with part broken out so as to show more fully the knives, seen in red lines.

(f) is a link moving on the base-front board of the machine and affording a vibrating fulcrum for the lever (g) of the rear sliding frame (cl) to which the lower knife (6) is fixed. This lever (g) extends beyond and across the front of the machine and pivots on the center-line (vertically) so as by the vibrations of this horizontal lever (g) the slide (d) shall be passed up or drawn down. The other end of this lever (c) and (d) with their connects by a long link (h) to a similar lever (i) similarly arranged at the top of the front of the machine with a movable vibrating fulcrum (is), similar to the link (f) and pivgted to the slide frame (0) of the upper m1 e.

Now in working the knives by lever (71),

if it be so pressed as, to face knife (a) toward knife (Z2) the link or rod (It) will at the same time drawn knife (5) toward knife to their work and the knives kept close together as they are made topass each other, and the sliding frames, their knives and the gage board kept in an exact position and distance relatively to each other in all their motions even when the sliding frames would of themselves choke from wearing loose, unless held to their work by the bearlng against them of the upper lever, which lever is pivoted directly over the angle ofv the knife to the cross piece holding the knife.

I do not therefore claim the knives, nor the sliding frame, nor the system of levers, nor the gage board, separately and in detail considered; but

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

My method of arranging the operating parts of a straw cutting machine, for the purpose of making it, by the pressure exercised, during the operation on the driving lever, work close, and be effective; when otherwise arranged from working loose, it might choke, or not cut at all.

S. M. YEAMAN.

Attest:

JOHN H. BENNETI, C. GODFREY Wm'rERsMrrH. 

